Sage Pesto Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This dish could be the poster child for fall eats. The Autumn flavors of sage, butternut squash and chicken come together in a comforting pasta dish that warms your heart and soothes your soul. Unlike my award-winning Fall Harvest Lasagna, which was runner up in the August Briggs Winery recipe contest last fall and takes days to come together, this lasagna is a cinch to make. If you’re like me and keep the basic components in your freezer, you could throw this thing together in thirty minutes or less and enjoy it anytime of year. Best of all, it’s full of complex flavors and delicious enough to serve to company. Your friends will totally think you slaved all day on this masterpiece. Your secret is safe with me.

To assemble the lasagna: spread all of chicken in bottom of dish; cover with 3 noodles; spread half of ricotta; half of mozzarella. Spread all of butternut squash carefully. It's ok if some of the mozzarella gets mixed into this layer as you're spreading.

The sweet and savory flavors in this dish call for a versatile wine like a Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo or Valpolicella. The subtle earthiness and spice emphasize the chicken and sage, while the wine’s fruit forward characteristics will compliment the butternut squash. Choose a wine with a rich body to stand up to the blend of cheeses.